1 What affected you most in reading the book? (Describe and explain, be specific).
Include an event or perspective from the book that influenced your understanding of the situation in the context of Global health equity– social forces, agency/choice, mitigating social forces, deep historical roots of weak health systems, neoliberal economic policy, structural violence, accompaniment (walking the patient’s journey), humanitarian principles and practices, and/or human rights.
2 A popular Western belief regarding foreign aid and disaster relief is that “Doing something is always better than doing nothing”.
Provide examples from the book that disprove that idea.
3 Politics and history provide the context for all health problems.
What were the major health consequences for the Haitian people related to the policies of NGOs, governmental aid programs, and US foreign policy?
4 There are two basic approaches to foreign aid policy: 1) Avoiding giving funds to local governments in developing countries due to the belief that they are irresponsible and corrupt and funneling the money or 2) Building strong local and national institutions as the best, and only, way to prepare developing countries for future disasters and crises.
Which of these approaches appear to be the most effective? What are the pros and cons of each of these approaches?
Provide examples from the book to support your argument.
5 Much of the work of Western NGOs and governmental foreign aid programs is focused on short-term fixes instead of long-term development.
Provide examples from the book of short-term “fixes” and discuss how they fail to lead to long-term improvements.
6 Many people who engage in work in developing countries state that they want to “be a voice for the voiceless”. The reality is that all people have a voice, they are just unable to be heard by members of the power structure in their countries.
How can those of us in the West accompany others in their struggle to actually be “heard”?
Provide examples from the book.
7 Politics and history provide the context for all health problems.
How can the legacy of colonization by the French be seen in the Haitian healthcare system and the individual health of Haitians living there today?
